(19)
(11) EP 0 501 450 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
16.03.1994 Bulletin 1994/11

(43) Date of publication A2:
02.09.1992 Bulletin 1992/36

(21) Application number: 92103265.2

(22) Date of filing: 26.02.1992
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: G06F 15/70, H04N 1/40
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 27.02.1991 JP 33206/91

(71) Applicant: NEC CORPORATION
Tokyo (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Sugiura, Masashi, c/o NEC Corporation
    Minato-ku, Tokyo (JP)
  • Takashima, Yosuke, c/o NEC Corporation
    Minato-ku, Tokyo (JP)

(74) Representative: VOSSIUS & PARTNER 
Postfach 86 07 67
81634 München
81634 München (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Apparatus for distinguishing between different areas of an image


    (57) An image area determining apparatus acquires a multi-value image to determine to which one of a picture area and a character area an image signal of the multi-value image belongs. A density detecting unit detects whether or not a density value of the multi-value image is within a range between two preset density threshold values. A density variation amount detecting unit detects whether or not a variation amount of the density value of the multi-value image is less than a preset density variation threshold value. The determining apparatus determines that the multi-value image is related to a picture area when the density value of the received multi-value image is within the range between the two density threshold values and the density value variation amount of the multi-value image is less than the density variation threshold value.






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